1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hosiery garment, for example, a stocking, having a thong at least in a toe region thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Appearance is an important aspect when presenting oneself to others. Presentation, including attire, hairstyle, personal hygiene, etc., can influence the way individuals are perceived. For this reason, many consumers strive to acquire and maintain a versatile and stylish wardrobe. All types of apparel from accessories, such as: belts, ties, scarves, and jewelry, to footwear: including sandals, boots, dress shoes, and athletic shoes, can affect one's appearance. For many women that may wear a dress or skirt, hosiery is an important element of the outfit. Hosiery can also be worn with slacks or shorts to provide a flawless, toned, sheer look.
In the United States and most other countries, hosiery refers to stockings, socks, tights, and pantyhose. In Great Britain, hosiery includes machine-knitted garments of all types.
While stockings and socks come in pairs, pantyhose and tights are single garments in which the separate legs of the hose are joined together at the waist hips and seat. Although identical in concept, tights and pantyhose have quite different histories. Tights were originally worn by men, beginning in the late Middle Ages. Noblemen wore tights of silk or velvet, often in bright colors and sometimes with each leg differently colored. Tights are still worn today by dancers and ballet performers. Pantyhose did not enter the hosiery market until the early 1960s. These two-legged items for women quickly replaced pairs of the more cumbersome one-legged stockings that attached to a garter belt.
Pantyhose were originally knit on a "Straight Bar" machine invented in England by William Cotton during 1864. After knitting, they were seamed, because it was impossible to make well fitting pantyhose without a seam at the back. However, since the 1960s, most women prefer pantyhose that are seamless. Seamless stockings are made on a circular machine. The earliest seamless stockings were essentially straight knitted tubes that did not fit as well as the previously produced seamed pantyhose. The tube shape was caused by the fact that circular knitting machines cannot drop stitches to narrow the stocking so that it contours around the legs. The thermoplastic qualities of nylon were used later to form a permanent shape in the tube, thus contributing to a preference for the seamless over the seamed panty hose. The fit of hosiery has since been improved by the adoption of stretch fabrics such as Lycra. A special process changes nylon filaments into a fluffy yarn that stretches. Such fabrics have made possible the manufacture of one-size-fits-all stockings for men and women.
Hosiery garments having openings in a toe region thereof are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,999,929, 3,605,122, 4,181,982, 5,623,734, 5,749,100 and 5,906,007 all describe such structures, mainly for exposing the toes and/or end of the foot for purposes of pedicure, massage or some other treatment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,129, likewise discloses a hosiery garment having an opening in the area of the toes, and having the opening joined in two places, thereby creating a double thong effect, which is intended to keep the garment taut on the body, even if the garment gets wet.
None of the known garments has been designed so as to enhance the physical features of the wearer, and, in particular, to accentuate the appearance of the wearer's feet.